It’s crucially important that we fight for the rights of those who are being denied the ability to vote. It is unfair and unjust.

But we aren’t just fighting for their sake. This is a matter of preserving and restoring the legitimacy of our entire government.

Just as the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 addressed many of the worst voter suppression tactics of its day, like poll taxes and literacy tests, so must the new 21st Century Voting Rights Act address modern abuses like gerrymandering and racially motivated voter ID laws and felon disenfranchisement.

Legitimate democracy comes from the people. For every citizen prevented from casting a ballot, our democracy takes a hit. But just as with all good things in a democracy, this one won’t change unless the people demand it.